Hitching and unhitching tractors and implements are everyday tasks on most farms yet, despite the time commonly required for such operations, the need for assistance in carrying them out, particularly in the case of larger tractors and implements, and the element of risk involved, no effective commercial systems are known to be available for performing the hitching (and unhitching) steps automatically, safely, and quickly by one person from the cab of a tractor. Some proposals have been made, and a few systems have been marketed, for facilitating certain of the steps involved in hitching operation, but such systems have lacked commercial success for a variety of reasons. Apart from their complexity and expense, prior construction have been deficient in failing to solve problems of coupling the hydraulic and/or electrical connectors without requiring an operator to dismount from the tractor, with the result that such devices have not effectively met the need for reducing time, labor, and possible risks in hitching/unhitching operations.
Accordingly, it is a main object of this invention to provide a hitch mechanism that effectively hitches or unhitches an implement from a tractor, including the making or breaking of hydraulic/electrical connections, without requiring the operator to leave the cab of the tractor, and without the need for assistance by others in performing such operations. Another object is to provide a mechanism that is rugged and reliable, and that is relatively uncomplicated in structure and operation. As to the latter, it is a specific object to provide a mechanism that automatically and mechanically sequences to perform successive steps of a hitching or unhitching operation once such operation has been initiated by the driver of the tractor.
A still further object of the invention consists in providing a mechanism that is self-aligning in operation, assuming the tractor drawbar and implement tongue have been brought into reasonably close proximity prior to commencement of the automatic hitching operation.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and drawings.